What it takes to train for WorldSkills

“WorldSkills is a totally different ballgame – a total other level”

Muhammad Afzal sits behind the wheel of a late-model silver Ford Focus, inching it into toward a lift in the auto body repair shop at NAIT’s Patricia Campus. Its front right fender is crumpled, the front bumper ready to fall off, and part of the undercarriage scrapes along the concrete floor. For Afzal, however, it’s his ride of choice to a once in-a-lifetime experience.

The 21-year-old Auto Body Technician apprentice is training for WorldSkills 2019, coached by instructor Nathan Badry (class of ’09). The pair will head to the event, often billed as “the Olympics of the trades,” in Kazan, Russia for Aug. 22 to 27. Until then, they’ll spend about three days a week in this shop, six to eight hours each time, working on techniques and best practices.

Other than the fact that they’ll be using the same kind of lift and a similar model of Ford, they have no idea what to expect the day of the competition, when Afzal’s every move will be scrutinized by three international judges.

He’s used to the pressure of competing; to get to this point, he medalled at both provincial and national competitions. But he’s not taking anything for granted.

“WorldSkills, I’ve heard, is a totally different ballgame, a total other level,” says Afzal. "It's exciting. I'm just hoping for the best."

Here, we take a look at an average day in preparation for an extraordinary undertaking, and the skills that will bring him to the world stage as Canada’s best young auto body apprentice.

When not preparing to compete for the title of world's best auto body repair apprentice, Afzal works at Modern Auto Body, an Edmonton shop with a focus on high-end brands including Range Rover. Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes and more. In fact, he and his coach, Badry, met there in 2015, when Afzal apprenticed under the now 31-year-old NAIT instructor and former Modern Auto Body journeyman.

Training for the event is, in a way, an extension of continuing to hone the skills he uses every day. "Everything I'm doing here is related to my job," says Afzal.

Training involves repeating basic skills of the trade to improve Afzal's form and efficiency. Those can include racking a car properly and safely welding, repairing non-metal parts of the car and straightening the frame. With respect to the latter, judges measure the results with exacting precision.

"We have to be within three millimetres [of specifications]," says Afzal. "We have to be pretty bang on." 

"Not every person can say they've represented Canada," says Afzal. "I'm one of the best people for my age [in the trade] in the country right now. I've built a name for myself in the industry."

"I've built a name for myself in the industry."

Afzal's mastery of welding must include a variety of materials, including metals and plastics, and welds must be done in a way that does not compromise the performance of a car body in the event of another crash. "You're putting other people's lives at risk if you don't do something properly," says Afzal.

During a competition that will last several days, "Every little piece will be judged," says Badry. "It's down to the smallest component." That includes not just the quality of the repair, but cleanliness, organization and even use of protective equipment and safety.

"Every little piece will be judged. It's down to the smallest component."

The competition's specific task is not revealed until the day before it begins.

"It's interesting to watch his growth," says Badry. "Being able to instill my knowledge in the industry and here at NAIT has been fantastic."

No matter how the event plays out, he adds, "It's for Mo to better himself as a technician."

Afzal has been passionate about vehicles since a young age, he says. The trade continues to feed his fascination. "Every day is a different thing," he says. "It's impossible for two accidents to be the same." Every job, perhaps like the competition to come, requires a degree of creativity based on a set of fundamental skills.

"I don't like getting my hands dirty. I know that sounds weird."

(The photo above catches Afzal in a rare state: gloveless. They're not required for safety, but "I don't like getting my hands dirty," he says. "I know that sounds weird.")

"I'd love to place on the podium," says Afzal. "But just the experience is important to me."

Until then, he'll focus on the task at hand: master the skills of the trade as he learned them at NAIT and on the job. His strategy is simply to stay confident and focused. “All I can do is train and do my best.”